By Scott Sundsvold
FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 4, 2017)—The Installation Information Infrastructure Modernization Program (I3MP) completed the first Home Station Mission Command Center (HSMCC) Initiative hardware technical refresh, for the 25th Infantry Division (ID) Command Center at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. I3MP oversaw the installation of innovative and cost-saving information technology (IT) solutions that enable mission command warfighting functions to be performed from Schofield Barracks.
I3MP, part of the Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems, is the program management office responsible for the overall project management, system design, procurement, technical oversight, information assurance assessment, system integration and testing and system transition of the hardware technical refresh phase.
The HSMCC Initiative is the Army’s evolutionary approach to providing corps, divisions and select other commands with the capability to host and operate mission command systems at home station. A three-phase approach has been developed to ensure that mission commands are equipped with this capability. Phase one requires surveys to be conducted through multi-organization survey teams to determine the operational state of each HSMCC. Information from the site assessments will be used to develop and validate an interim technical baseline of existing mission command centers that will be used in all future HSMCC assessments. Phase one also includes a hardware technical refresh of the audiovisual and data network infrastructure and equipment.
TEAMING UP
Maj. Aleyzer Mora, the assistant product manager for command centers at I3MP, handled the day-to-day activities of the tech refresh at Schofield Barracks, aided by Andi Fehl, center, the project team assist, and Sarah Mullins, the deputy assistant product manager for command centers. (U.S. Army photo by Scott Sundsvold)
A fully functional HSMCC will provide a suite of standardized capabilities at corps, division and theater headquarters that supports expeditionary mission command during all operational phases. HSMCCs nest within the mission command network vision provides expeditionary, uninterrupted mission command through a network of intuitive, secure, standards-based capabilities that is adapted to commanders’ requirements and integrated into a common operating environment.
The tech refresh was the I3MP scope of responsibilities in the overarching HSMCC initiative. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in September 2017, but it was finished seven months ahead of schedule because of the strong support and coordination with the 25th ID, 30th Signal Battalion, Tobyhanna Army Depot, the U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command, the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command and industry partners from Net-Centric Enterprise Solutions (NES) Associates. “Every project has its core challenges and this HSMCC tech refresh is no different,” said Brendan Burke, the product manager for I3MP. “The rapid and cost-effective delivery of mission-critical IT solutions to a remote island in the Pacific Ocean was achieved due to the professionalism and dedication of our Army and industry partners.”
Maj. Aleyzer Mora, the assistant product manager for command centers at I3MP, managed the day-to-day activities of the 25th ID tech refresh. He attributed the early completion of the project to the 25th ID leadership. “Tobyhanna Army Depot deployed a team of highly capable professional installers to the 25th ID and, once the leadership [there] saw the speed and precision at which the Tobyhanna team was able to perform, they granted the installers full access to all six conference rooms, allowing for parallel installations instead of the planned serial installation. The final result is a project completed several months ahead,” he said. Sarah Mullins, the deputy assistant product manager for command centers, and Andi Fehl, the project team assist, aided Maj. Mora in handling the day-to-day activities of the tech refresh. “It’s a great feeling knowing that this HSMCC tech refresh will improve Soldier readiness at 25th ID,” said Mullins, who was directly involved in mitigating risks and resolving issues during the physical installation.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
The 25th ID’s G-6 conference room at Schofield Barracks after the HSMCC tech refresh. (U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Robert Phillips)
The tech refresh provides the 25th ID with a fully equipped and functional garrison-based command post and gives the division the ability to perform all mission command functions from Schofield Barracks, including other warfighting functions such as intelligence, sustainment and fires. Phase two of the project is scheduled to be completed in 2020 and will provide distributed mission command capabilities through the development of cloud-enabled mission command. In phase three, HSMCC will be supported by requirements-based activities related to doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities and policy. All three phases of the HSMCC initiative are scheduled to be complete by 2025. The end result will give senior mission commanders the flexibility to reduce their forward deployed forces and resource requirements by enabling distributed mission command and control.
As a result of the tech refresh, the 25th ID command center meets the technical requirements to support the high-bandwidth, mission-critical applications required for warfighting functions. To support mission command functionality, a command center’s audiovisual and network infrastructure must meet HSMCC interim technical baseline requirements. The HSMCC hardware tech refresh upgrades the IT infrastructure at command centers to meet these requirements and provide operational systems enhancements and equipment sustainment.
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ONLINE EXTRAS
“Enabling information dominance: PM I3MP’s team of leaders ensures comms readiness,” Army AL&T, January – March 2017
